Brick and stone cutting machine



Feb 12, 1957 H. J. MOERBE BRICK AND STONE CUTTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheetl Filed Aug. 1, 1955 Feb.l 12, 1957 H. J. MOERBE 2,781,036

BRICK AND STONE: CUTTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 637?- 57 5'. ,f 1. A62 A -`62 76 79 72 NVENTOR ATTORNEY IIL t. IL

United States Patent C) BRICK AND STNE CUTTING MACHINE Herbert I.Moer-be, Giddings, Terr.

Application August 1, 1955, Serial No. 525,573

3 Claims. (Cl. 12S-23) This invention relates Ato a novel machine ofrelativ-ty simple construction for use in cutting stone and brick andwhich may be expeditiously employed for accurately cutting stone andbrick to desired sizes.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide amachine capable of being operated by a leg of the operator leaving bothhands free for holding a piece of stone or brick to accomplish thecutting operation to extreme accuracy.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cutting machine whichwill face Vthe cut edge of the brick or stone simultaneously with thecutting operation.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, andwherein:

Figure l is a front elevational view of the machine;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof, partly broken away,taken substantially along a plane as indi cated by the line 2 2 ofFigure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional View, takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, taken substantiallyalong a plane as indicated by the line 5 5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 6 5 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail horizontal sectional View, takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 7 7 of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 8 8 of Figure l;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevational View, partly in section,illustrating certain of the parts of the machine detached therefrom, and

Figure l0 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View, taken substantiallyalong a plane as indicated by the line iB-li) of Figure 7.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the stone and brick cuttingmachine in its entirety and comprising the invention is designatedgenerally i2 and includes a table-like supporting structure, designatedgenerally 13, inclu-ding a table-top i4, supporting legs which aresecured to and extend downwardly from adjacent the corners of thetable-top 14, and a shelf 16 which is supported by the legs 15, adjacentItheir lower ends and substantially below the level of the top 14. Thesupporting structure or table 13 is adapted to be mounted on anysuitable supporting surface such as the ground or a oor.

The table or support 13 is preferably of rectangular shape and onelongitudinal side 17 thereof, as indicated in Figure 2, constitutes thefront of the table. The top icc 14 is provided with an elongatedopening, 18 disposed transversely thereof, near one end of the `tableand which extends to adjacent Athe front side thereof, as seen in Figure2. A pair of corresponding elongated angle members 19 are disposedl onthe shelf 16 crosswise thereof and beneath the opening 13 and aresecured thereto by suitable fastenings 20 and have abutting upstandingflanges 2i. v

A blade support and guide 22 includes a pair of corresponding uprights,each designated generally 23, each including a pair of'spacedsubstantially parallel bars 24 which are connected by a relatively widebrace 2S. Said bars 24 and the brace 25 of each upright 23 are disposedcoplanar. The lower ends of the complementary bars 24 of the twouprights 23 straddle the flanges 21 and are secured thereto byfastenings 26. The blade support and guide 22 extends upwardly from theangle members 1 9 through the opening 18 and the upper portions of thebars 24 thereof are provided with corresponding longitudinally spacedopenings 27 for selectively receiving fastenings 27a which extendthrough end portions of an upper stationary cutting blade 28 which isthus adjustably mounted stationary in the upper part of the support 22,and the end portions of which provide a spacer for the upper portions ofthe two uprights 23. The bottom edge of the blade 28 is provided with adepending sharpened portion forming the cutting edge 29 of said bladeand which extends between 4the complementary adjacently dis posed bars24 of the two uprights. As seen in Figure 2, the braces are disposedbelow the level of the tabletop 14.

An elongated channel shape guide member 30 straddles the outer edgeportions of the two front `bars 24 of the uprights 23, which are locatedadjacent the front 17 of the machine 12, as best seen in Figures 2 and4, and said guide member 3i? is secured to said bars 24 by suitablefastenings 31 and has its upper er1-d disposed at approximately thelevel of the table-top 14. The intermediate or bight portion 32 of theguide member 30 is spaced from the forward edges of the front bars 24,as best seen in Figure 4. An elongated rigid strip 33 forming a bladestabilizing slide is reciprocably mounted in the guide 30 between itsbight portion 32 and the forward edges of the front bars 24 and extendsfrom the uppen end of said guide 39. The upper end of the stabilizingslide 33 abuts against one end of an elongated lower cutting blade 34and is detachably secured thereto by fastenings 35, as best seen inFigure 9, The blade 34 is slidably mounted between the uprights 23 belowthe blade 28 for vertical sliding movement toward and away from saidblade 28. The upper edge of the blade 34 is provided with an opstandingsharpened portion forming a cutting edge 36 of said blade and which isdisposed directly beneath the cutting edge 29. The bottom edge of theblade 34, intermediate of the ends thereof, is provided with a dependingrounded projection 37.

A base or closed end 3-3 of a hydraulic cylinder 39 is provided with abifurcated extension 40 which straddles the franges 21, to `the rear ofthe support 22, and is pivotally connected thereto by a fastening 41. Apiston d2 is slidably disposed in the cylinder 39 and has a piston rod43 extending upwardly therefrom slidably through the upper free end ofthe cylinder 39 and which terminates in a yoke 44 which is pivotallyconnected by a fastening 45 to one end of a blade actuatinglever 46. Thelever 46 extends forwardly from the yoke 44 between the uprights 23 andis pivotally connected by `a fastening 47 at its opposite end to thebraces 25, adjacent the front bars 24, for kvertical swinging movementof 4Silid lever 4,6,in the support 22. The lever 46 is Providedwithanarcuate notch 48 in its upper edge, located between its pivot 47yand to the lever 46.

and the yoke 44 which provides a pivot seat for theA rounded lower endof a connecting bar 49. The upper end of the bar 49 is provided with asocket 50 in which the projection 37 is loosely received, for a limitedrocking movement of said bar 49 relative to the projection `37 A storagetank 51 which is adapted to contain a hydraulic medium 98 is supportedon the shelf 16 to one side of ythe blade support 22 and is secured tosaid shelf by fastenings 52. A bracket 53 is supported by the tank 51and preferably extends therefrom in a direction from the blade support22. A pump 54 is mounted on and secured to the bracket 53. A motor 55 ismounted on and secured to the shelf 16, adjacent to but spaced from thepump 54. The motor 55 is preferably an electric motorand may becontrolled by an electric switch, geen at 56 in Figure l, which ismounted adjacent a front corner of the table 13. Any conventionalelectric circuit, not shown, maybe utilized for themotor 55. The motor55 is connected to the pump 54 by a belt and pulley drive 57. A conduit58 which opens into the bottom portion of the ltank 51 connects with theinlet of the pump 54. A conduit 59 leads upwardly from the outlet of thepump 54 and is turned back upon itself and extends downwardly l throughthe removable cover 66 of the tank 51.

As best seen in Figure 3, the cover 69 is provided with a centralopening 61 surrounded by an opstanding hollow column 62 which opensdownwardly into the tank 51 and which has an upper end closed by aremovable cap 63.

A barrel 611 extends downwardly from the underside of the cover and hasan open lower end disposed adjacent the bottom of the tank 51. Thebarrel 64 has an external ange 65 at its upper end to receive fastenings66 by which the flange is secured to the underside of the cover 69 toposition the barrel in alignment with the interior of the hollow column62. The barrel 64, at a point spaced from its ends, is provided withaligned outwardly projecting nipples 67 and 68 which communicate withthe bore 69 of said barrel and with a substantially semicircular bypass70 which extends around one half of the barrel 64 and Ywhich constitutesan integral part thereof, as best seen in Figures Y7 and l0.

An elongated plunger 71 has a relatively close titting slidingengagement in the bore 69 Vand extends upwardly therefrom into thecolumn 62 .and terminates in aV re- L stricted extension or stem 72. Awasher 73, as best seen in Figure 6, is mounted on the lower part of thestem 72 and is held against upward displacement by a pin 74 whichextends through the stem 72 above the washer 73. A

spiral spring 75 is mounted around the upper portion of the plunger 71,within the column 62, and has a lower end seating on the ange 65 and anupper end bearing against the washer 73 for normally maintaining theplunger 71 in -a raised position with the lower end disposed above thelevel of the nipples 67 and 63 and the .inwardly through the opening 76and bears on the upper end of the stem 72. Y

A shaft S0 has one end journalled in a bearing 81 which Y is iixed toand Yrises from the shelf 16 and has its opposite end journalled in oneof the front bars 24. The shaft 30 is held against sliding movement bycollars 82 which are fixed thereto and straddle the bearing 81. A sleeve83 is 1 adjustably lixed to the shaft 8) and is secured to the lower endof .a lever 84 which extends upwardly and. outwardly from the shaft 80,and outwardly with respect to the front 17 :oi the machine 12, as seenin Figure 2. Thelever 84 has a crossbar 85 at its upper end. One end ofa'rigid connecting rod or link 86 is pivotally connected to the l lever84, intermediate of the ends of said lever, and is pivotally connectedat its opposite end to an end of a link S7. The other end of the link 87is tixed to an end of the shaft 78. The link 87 is disposed at an angleof less than 180 relative to the link 86 and extends inwardly withrespect to the link' 86 and relative to the machine 12, so that when thelever 84 is swung clockwise, as seen in Figure 2, the link 86 will bedisplaced upwardly and rearwardly relative to the machine 12 for turningthe link S7 and shaft 78 clockwise, to cause the rocker arm 79 to beswung clockwise, as seen in Figure 6, for exerting a downward thrust `onthe plunger 71.

An arm 8S is xed at one end thereof to the shaft 80 and extendstransversely therefrom rearwardly with respect to the machine 12. Oneend of a rod 89 is pivotally connected at 99 to the arm 88. The rod 89extends upwardly from the arm 88 slidably through an eye 91 which is xedto and extends laterally from one side of the lever d6, adjacent thefree end of said lever. A stop 92 is adjustably mounted on the rod 89above the eye 91 and is adapted to be engaged by said eye to limitupward swinging movement of the lever 46.

As best illustrated in Figure 3, the other discharge end of the conduit59 is connected to the nipple 67 of the barrel 64. Said conduit 59extends through one of a pair of flanged openings 93 in the tank cover60. A conduit 94 extends through the other anged opening 93 and has oneend connected to the nipple68. The opposite end of the conduit 94, whichis disposed externally of the tank 5l, is connected to the bottomclosure cap 3S and communicates with the bottom of the cylinder 39 belowthe Y inner or lowermost position of the piston 42. Said last mentionedportion of the conduit 94 is sufficiently flexible to accommodate alimited rocking movement of the cyl-V inder 39.

An elongated rule 95 which has a linear scale on at least the forwardlyfacing side thereof, as seen in Figure l, is secured intermediate of itsends by a fastening 96 to the inner or forward edges of the rear bars24, between the blades 28 and 34, and so as to extend crosswise of theblade support 22.

A contractile spring 97 has a lower end anchored to the ilanges 21 andan upper end secured to the leveri46, intermediate of the ends of saidlever, for urging the lever 46 downwardly for displacing the piston 42toward the lower end of the cylinder 39 and to permit the thrust bar 49,blade 34 and the stabilizing strip 33 to move down wardly by gravity totheir lowermost retracted positions of Figure 2.V

Assuming that the parts of the machine 12 are disposed as illustrated inFigures l zand 2 and that the motor 55 is operating for driving the pump54, the hydraulic medium 98 which is contained in the tank 51 tosubstantially the The crossbar 85 of the lever 84 is disposed at a con-Y venient level to be engaged by the knee of theoperator standing infront of the machine 12. With the parts disposed as seen in Figures land 2, the operator may utilize both hands in positioning a piece ofstone or brick to be out with a part thereof extending'through the upperpart of the support 22 between the blades 28 and 34. VThe linear measure95 can be utilized for properly positioning the stone or vbrick so thatit may be cut off to a desired length. While thus holding the stone orbrick in a desired position between the cutting edges 29 and 36, withboth hands, the operator exerts pressure with either knee against thecrossbar 85 for swinging the level 84 clockwise as seen in Figure 2, andas previously described. Clockwise swinging movement of the lever 84causes the link 86 to be displaced upwardly and toward the rear of themachine 12 for rocking the link 87, shaft 78 and rocker arm 79 clockwiseas seen in Figures 2 and 6, so that the rocker arm will exert a downwardthrust en the plunger valve 71 for moving said plunger valve from itsraised position of Figure 3 to its lower, closed position of Figure l0.The plunger 71 in its lower position of Figure l0 closes the bore 69 sothat said bore is not in communication with the nipples 67 and 68 tothus prevent the uid 98 being pumped through the conduit S9 returning tothe tank 51. However, the nipples 67 and 63 are in communication withone another by the bypass 70, around the plunger 71 when said plunger isin a closed position, as illustrated in Figures 7 and 10. Thus, thefluid is pumped under pressure from the pump 54 through the conduit 59,nipple 67, bypass 79, nipple 68 and conduit 94 into the lower end of thecylinder 39 for forcing the piston 42 and piston rod 43 upwardly. Upwardmovement of the piston rod 43 causes the lever 46 to be rockedcounterclockwise about its pivot 47 for exerting an upward thrust on thebar 49 and the movable blade 34. As the blade 34 is thus displacedupwardly the stone or brick will be cut ot between and by the cuttingedges 36 and 29. The stabilizing element 33 will maintain the cuttingedge 36 parallel to the cutting edge 29 during upward movement of theblade 34.

After the cutting operation has thus been completed, the pressure of theknee exerted against the crossarm 85 is released so that the spring 75can force the plunger 71 upwardly to its open position of Figure 3. Theplunger 71 moving upwardly will rock the arm 79 counterclockwise as seenin Figure 6 to rock the shaft 78 and link 87 in the same direction toreturn the lever 84 to its position of Figure 2. As soon as the plunger71 clears the lower part of the bores of the nipples 67 and 68, the uidbeing pumped through the conduit S9 will be returned to the bottom ofthe tank 51 and the spring 97 will react to swing the lever 46downwardly. This will cause the piston 42 to be displaced downwardly inthe cylinder 39 for forcing the liquid from the lower part of saidcylinder back through the conduit 94 and into the barrel 54 from whichsaid liquid will also be discharged into the bottom of the tank 51.

It will be noted that the arm 88 and rod 89 will move downwardly as thelever 84 is swung rearwardly and as the lever 46 swings upwardly, sothat the stop 92 and eye 91 will move toward one another to cause thestop 92 to engage the eye 91 to prevent further upward movement of thelever 46 before the cutting edge 36 can contact the cutting edge 29.

Various modiications and changes are contemplated and may obviously beresorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventionas hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A stone and brick cutting machine comprising a substantially uprightblade support, an upper stationary blade mounted in an upper part of theblade support and having a downwardly facing cutting edge, a lower bladeslidably disposed in said blade support beneath the upper blade formovement toward and'away from said upper blade, said lower blade havingan upper cutting edge disposed in opposed relation to the cutting edgeof the upper blade, thrust imparting means connected to and supported bythe blade support and engaging under said lower blade and including ahydraulic ram, a storage tank containing a hydraulic medium, a conduitleading from the lower portion of said storage tank to said ram, aconstantly operating pump interposed in said conduit between the tankand ram for supplying the hydraulic medium under pressure to the ramfrom said tank, a valve casing interposed in said conduit between thepump and ram and having an opening discharging into the tank, a valvebody contained in said valve casing, spring means normally holding saidvalve body in an opened position wherein said casing opening is exposedto permit the hydraulic medium to return from the pump by way of aportion of the conduit to the tank and to permit the hydraulic medium toow back to the tank from the ram, control means adapted to be actuatedby the knee for moving said valve body against said spring means to aposition for closing the casing opening, and said casing having a bypasscommunicating with said conduit through which the medium under pressurepasses around the valve body from the pump to the ram, when the valvebody is in a closed position, for extending the ram to forcibly displacethe lower blade toward the stationary olade for severing a brick orstone disposed between the cutting edges of the blades.

2. A machine as in claim l, said thrust imparting means including alever having one end pivotally connected to the blade support beneaththe lower blade and an opposite end pivotally connected to an extensibleend of said ram, and a rigid connecting element disposed between thelever and lower blade having one end engaging the lever adjacent to butspaced from the lever pivot and an opposite end engaging theintermediate portion of the bottom edge of the movable blade.

3. A machine as in claim 2, and spring means connected to the lever andblade support for urging the lever to swing downwardly for retractingthe ram when said valve body is returned to an open position for causingthe fluid medium under pressure to be forced back from the ram into thetank through said casing opening.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,368,138 Hayden Ian. 30, 1945 2,613,661 Huber Oct. 14, 1952 2,641,845Gundlach June 16, 1953 2,657,681 Gatzke Nov. 3, 1953

